In recent years there has been a growing interest in biological control of agricultural pests, in view of the hazardous environmental effects of conventional chemical pesticides. Such a control has the advantage of being target specific and not polluting the environment.
One of the major pests which infect agricultural crops are nematodes. Thus, a non pollutant and effective method for controlling this pest would be most desirable.
The use of nematode eating bacteria for controlling nematodes infestation such as root-knot nematodes, root lesion nematodes and cyst nematodes, has been disclosed in J-A1-58-024508. According to this published patent application, a solution containing nematode-eating bacteria is impregnated into porous materials such as vermiculite, pearlite, zeolite or peat moss, and the so impregnated porous material is added to the plants environment.
Inhibition of nematodes and fungi infestations of plants by certain strains of rhizobacteria, has been disclosed in EP-A1-160089. According to this published patent application, protection against nematodes can be obtained either by introducing such bacteria into the plant rhizosphere or inoculating seeds with a solution containing these bacteria prior to seeding thereof into the ground. The inhibition by these strains of bacteria, is especially effective in the presence of assimilate nitrogen carbon sources.
A synergistic nematicidal composition comprising a carbamate or dithiocarbamate nematocide together with Pasteuria penetrans bacteria has been disclosed in EP-A1-217,378.